Control system for water treatment apparatus



Feb. 6, 1962 R. A. WHITLocK 3,019,817

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WATER TREATMENT APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17, 1959 al o 5.

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Feb. 6, 1962 R. A. wHlTLocK 3,019,817

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WATER TREATMENT APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1959 6 57i 8 l Z .88 n lo 3 .J I. 4' 8 wa 7 7 5 5 Ab 3 8 u.,f

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Zu lu 73 7 u. n.4 2 b 2 5 l 5 5 5 L ru 3,019,817 CNTROL SYSTEM FOR WATER TREATMENT APPARATUS Robert A.. Whitlock, Rockford, Ill., assigner to Aqua- Matic Inc., Rockford, lil., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 840,577 Claims. (Cl. 137-62418) This invention relates to a control system for a Water treatment apparatus.

An important object of this invention is to provide a control system for a water treatment apparatus which will eect a regeneration cycle of down-flow through the treatment tank during service; upilow to drain during backwash; and downilow to drain during regeneration and rinsing of the exchange material, and which control system can be easily and economically manufactured and is reliable and eliicient in operation.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide a control system in accordance with the foregoing object and which includes a pair of three-way fluid actuated valves and a pair of electrically operated drain valves for controlling the uid actuated valves, and which system has an improved arrangement for assuring operation of the drain valves in proper sequence to actuate the uid operated valves.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a control system in accordance with the foregoing objects and which is adapted to provide a rapid rinse phase during the regeneration cycle and without necessitating any additional apparatus.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a diagrammatic view of the control system shown applied to a water treatment apparatus;

PIG. 2 is a sectional View through the control apparatus during the service phase of the regeneration cycle and taken on the plane A-A of FIG. 5; i

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the control apparatus during the backwash phase of the regeneration cycle and taken on the plane A--Avof IFIG. 5;A

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the control system during the regeneration and slow rinse phase of the regeneration cycle and taken on the plane A-A of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane 5 5 of FIG. 2.

The present invention particularly relates to improve ments in control systems-of the type disclosed in the copending application of R. A. Whitlock et al., Serial No. 754,072, liled August 8, 1958. The control system of the present invention is arranged to control the flows of iluid to and from a treatment tank 1G to eect downllow through the treatment tank during service; uptlow to drain during backwashing, and downow to drain during regeneration and rinsing of the bed of exchange material.

In general, the control system includes first and second fluid actuated three-way valves designated and 16 and preferably enclosed in a common casing. The control system also includes frstand second drain valves 17 and 18 respectively for operating the lirst and second huid actuated valves, and a timer controlled mechanism 19 for actuating the vdrain valves in proper sequence. A regenerant control valve 20 of conventional construction is' disposed in the regenerant tank 11 and is of the type which will close to block ilow into the tank from the regenerant line 21, when the liquid reaches a preselected upper level in the tank, and which will also close aten@ 3,019,831? Patented Feb. 6, 1962 ricc to block flow from the tank to the regenerant line 2l, when the liquidreaches a preselected lower level, so as to thereby deliver a measured quantity of regenerant to the line 21.

The uid actuated three-way valves 15 and 16 are formed in a casing 25 having vertically extending cored passages therein in side-by-side relation.V One of the cored passages is separated by upper and lower partitions 26 and 27 into an inlet or valve chamber 28,- an upper chamber 29 and a lower chamber 30. The other cored passage in the casing is separated by partitions 31 and 32 into an intermediate or valve chamber 33, an upper chamber 34 and a lower chamber 35. The upper ends of the cored passages forming the iirst and second valves are closed by caps 36 and 37.

The rst uid actuated valve includes an upper valve seat 41 which is threaded into the partition 26 and defines a port 42 therein, and a lower valve seat 43 which is press itted into the lower partition 27 and defines a lower port 44. A valve member 45 is disposed in the chamber 28 and has upper and lower faces formed by resilient gaskets 46 and 47 which are adapted to engage the upper and lower seats 41 and 43 respectively. 'Ille valve member is arranged so as to normally gravitate to its lower position shown in FIG. 2, in which the lower valve face 47 engages the lower seat 43 to block ow to the lower chamber 30. The valve member 45 has a guide 48 on its lower end which is loosely received in the lower port 44 and a stem 49 which is threadedly attached thereto and extends upwardly through the upper port 42 into the upper chamber 29.

The valve 15 has an inlet passage 51 which communicates with the valve Vchamber 28 intermediate the upper and lower valve seats land is adapted for connection to the supply line 52. A service outlet passage 53 communicates with the lower chamber 30 and is adapted for connection to a service line 54. A top outlet passage 55 communicates with the upper chamber 29 and is connected through a conduit 56 to the top of the treatment tank 10. A drain passage 58 communicates with the upper chamber 29 at a point above the top outlet passage 55 and is connected through a drain line 59 to the first drain valve 17. A flow responsive head 61 is mounted on the upper end of the valve stem 29 as by a washer and cotter pin 62 and 63 and is disposed in the path of fluid tlow to the drain port 58 so as to actuate the valve member 45 to its raised position blocking ow through the upper port 42, when the lirst drain valve 17 is opened. As will be noted, a flange 64 is provided on the casing at a point intermediate the top outlet passage 55 and the drain passage 58 and extends into closely spaced adjacency to the head 61 to dene a restricted flow path therebetween.

' The second iluid actuated valve 16 includes anupper valve seat 68 which is threaded into Ythe upper partition 31 and delines anupper port 69. A lower vvalve seat element 71 is threaded into the lower partition 32 and denes a conical lower seat and a. restricted lower port 72. A valve member 73 is disposed in the valve chamber 33 and has an upper valve face formed by a resilient annular washer 74 and a lower valve face formed by a resilient tapered nose 75 on the lower end of the valve member. The valve member 73 is normally gravity operated to its lower position blocking ow through the port 72 and has a step 76 thereon which extends upwardly through the upper port 69 and into the upper chamber 34. The fluid actuated valve 16 has an upper outlet passage 78 which communicates with the upper chamber -34 and is connected through a conduit 79 to the lower end of the treatment tank 10. A drain passage 81 communicates with the upper chamber 34 at a point above the outlet passage 78 and is connected through a Vdrain line 82 with the second drain valve 1S. A flow responsive head `$3 is mounted on the upper end of the valve stem 7 6, and

is retained in position by a washer 84 and cotter pin 35, and is positioned in the path of ilow of duid to the drain port 81 so as to move the valve member 73 to a raised position blocking iioW through the port 79, when the second drain valve 18 is opened A flange 87 is provided in the casing to surround the head S3 and denne a restricted ilow passage therebetween. The valve chamber 33 of the second valve 16 is in continuous open communication with the lower chamber 3G of the irst valve is connected through an inlet passage 93 to the reagent f feed line 21. A nozzle `94 is threaded into the casing with the inlet end thereof communicating with the lower chamber 35 of the valve 16, and the discharge end communieating with the reagent chamber 92. A screen 95 is preierably provided at the inlet ofthe nozzle and is supported in a cap 96 threaded into the lower end of the valve casing. A throat 97 is threaded into the casing and communicates at one end with the reagent chamber 92 and at the other end with a passage 98 leading .to the top chamber 29 of the valve 15. Thus, when the valve member 73 of the second valve 16 is. in its raised position, fluid is supplied to the inlet of the ejector 91 and -flows through the ejector to feed a mixture of water and regenerant tothe upper chamber 29 of the first valve 15.

The drain valves 17 and 18 have electro-responsive operators 161 and 162 respectively and which are actuated. under the control of a timer 19 in timed sequence to eiectj movement ofthe lluid operated valves between the Successive phases ot backwash, brining, rinsing and return to, service. The4 timer 19 may be of any suitable construction and as herein shown is of the type which is adapted to be started at the beginning of the cycle and which will thereafter operateto time the various phases of the regeneration cycle. lt is to be understood, however, that the timer may bey of the type which is automatically operative to time a regeneration cycle at periodic intervals such as one day. As shown, the timer includes a motor 104 which is energized from a conductor 165y under the control of a switch 1%. A timer controlledl switch 167 is operated by a cam. 10S and is connected in parallel with the switch 106 to sustain operation of the timer motor until it has completed a cycle of operations. The timer includes a rst control switch 11,1 which is connectedV to the supply conductorlt and controls energization of a control circuit 112 leading to the solenoid 101. The timer also includes a second and normally open switch 113 which is connected to the power supply conductor 105 and controls energization of a second circuit 114 leading to the other solenoid 102. A cam 116 is operated by the timer motor 104 and has a lobe 117 which is arranged to close the switch 111 and maintain the same closed for a time interval greater than the duration of the backwash phase of the `regeneration cycle. Closing of the switch 111 energizes the solenoid 101 to ope-n the drain valve 17 and this, in turn, passes fluid to drain so as to operate the valve member 4S in the rst valve 15 to its raised position shown in FiG. 3.

The timer also operates a second cam 119' having a lobe 121 which is arrangedy to close the switch 113 at the beginning of the brine injection or regeneration phase of the regeneration cycle. Closing of the switch 113- operates the solenoid 102 to open the. second drain valve 13. Opening of the second drain valve operates the valve member 73 ofthe second valve 16 to its raised position shown in FIG. 4. When the second drain valve 18 is opened, it communicates the tank to drain and reduces the pressure at the chamber 29 in the first valve 15 suicient to hold the valve member 45 of the first-mentioned valve in its raised opsition. However, it is essential that the drain Valve 18 be opened before the rst drain valve is closed, in order to prevent premature seating of the first valve member 45. On the other hand, it is desirable to close the first drain valve as soon as possible after the opening of the second drain valve 18, in order, to prevent the passage of brine to drain through the valve 17, without passing the same through the mineral bed. While this can be achieved by very accurate adjustment of the relative position of the cam lobes 117 and 121 to eect operation of the drain valves in proper sequence, it has been found that it can be more accurately and reliably elected by the addition of an inexpensive thermal relay 125. The relay 125 is of conventional construction and includes a relay operated switch 126 in the iirst circuit 112 leading to the solenoid 101. The relay includes a heater element 1.27 which is connected through a conductor 128 to the second circuit 114 for the solenoid 102. The thermal relay switches 126 are normally closed so as to actuate the solenoid 161 in response lto operation of the timer switch 111. However, when the second timer switch 113 is closed by the cam lobe 121, it energizes the heater 127 and, after a sho-rt time delay, opens the switch 126 to deenergize the solenoid 101. Thus, operation of the second timer switch 113 will open the second drain valve 18 and, within a short time interval, close the first drain valve 17 to step the control system to its brine injection phase shown in FIG. 4. Fluid is then supplied to the ejector 91 which draws regenerant from the tank 11 and feeds the same to the upper chamber 29 of the valve 15.

From the foregoing it is thought that the operation of the valve` will be readily understood. During service, the first and. second valve members and the drain valves are in the position shown in FIG. 2 and uid from the supply line 52 flows through. the port 42 in the valve 15, and through the upper chamber 29 and conduit 56 to the top of. the treatment tank 19. The treated water from the bottom of the tank flows through conduit 79, to the top chamber 34 of the valve 16 and through port 69, valve chamber 33 and connecting passage to the service outlet 53. At the beginning of the backwash phase, the cam 117 closes switch 1111 and opens the iirst drain valve 17. The tiow of water through the drain valve 17 produces a pressure unbalance on the valve member i5 of the first valve 15 and moves it to its raised position shown in FiG. 3 thereby closing the upper port 42 and opening the lower port 44. This provides a supplyof raw water to service during regeneration, and also feeds water from the inlet line 52 through the lower port 44, connecting passage to the valve chamber 33 of valve 16, upper port 69 and conduit 79' to the bottom of the treatment, tank. The eluent from the top of the treatment tank liows through. conduit 56 to the upper outlet passage 55 in the valve 15 and to drain through the line 59 and drain valve 17. At the completion of the backwash phase of the regeneration cycle, the caml lobe 121 operates. switch 113 to open the second drain valve 1S and close the first drain valve 17. Thisn moves the valve member 73 in the second valve 16 to its raised position shown in FIG. 4 and also maintains the valve member 45 of the rst valve 15 in its raised position. Fluid then ows from the inlet line 52 through thechambers 28 and 30 of the rst valve, and through chambers 33 andv 35 of the second valve to the inlet of the ejector 91. The ejector passes a mixture of water and reagent from the tank 11 to the upper chamber 39 in the valve 15 from whence it iiows through conduit 56 to the top of the treatment tank 10. The emuent from the bottom of the treatment tank flows through conduit' 75 and valvechamberd in the valve 16 tothe drain line 82. After a preselected quantity of regenerant has been introduced into the system, the regenerant valve 20 closes and terminates the ow of regenerant. The water owing through the ejector will then provide a slow rinse of the bed of exchange material.

In order to reduce the overall time of the cycle, it is frequently advantageous to provide a rapid rinse phase after the slow rinse phase. This may be achieved in the present control system without necessitating additional apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, a notch 121a is formed in the lobe 121 and is arranged to permit the switch 113 to open momentarily before the completion of the regeneration cycle for a ytime interval sufficient to allow the drain valve 18 to close and the valve members 45 and 73 to move to their lower position. When the cam lobe 121 thereafter recloses the switch 113, it reopens the second drain valve 18 and moves the second valve member 73 to its raised position. However, the first valve member 45 will remain in its lower position so that rinse fluid may oW from the inlet passage 52 through valve chambers 28 and 29 of the first valve, and conduit 56 to the top of `the treatment tank. The etiiuent from the-bottom of the tank flows through conduit 79, and chamber 34 of the second valve 16 to the drain line 32. At the completion vof the rapid rinse phase of the regeneration cycle, the cam 121 reopens the switch 113 and recloses the valve 18 so that the second valve member 73 returns to its service position shown in FIG. 2.

I claim:

l. A control system for a water treatment apparatus comprising, first and second valve means each including a valve chamber and upper and lower outlet chambers, said valve means each having ltop and bottom ports respectively communicating each valve chamber with the upper and lower outlet chambers of that valve, a valve member in each valve chamber yieldably urged to a lower lposition blocking fiow through the bottom ports, inlet passage means communicating with the valve chamber of said first valve means between the top and bottom ports vthereof for supplying fluid under pressure to the first valve means, first and second ow passages respectively cornmunicating with the upperoutlet chambers of said first and second valve means, first and second drain passages respectively communicating with the upper outlet chambers of said first and second valve means, first and second drain valves in said first and second drain passages respectively, means responsive to opening of said first and second drain valves for respectively moving the valve members in the first and second Valve means to a raised position blocking fiow through the respective top ports, a service outlet, passage means communicating the valve chamber of said second valve means with vthe lower outlet chamber of said first valve means and with said service outlet, an ejector having a raw Water inlet connected to `the lower outlet chamber of said second valve means and an outlet communicating with the upper flow chamber of said first valvemeans, and means for opening said first drain valve and for thereafter opening said second drain valve and for closing said first drain valve to sequentially raise said first and second valve members.

2. A control system for a water treatment apparatus comprising, first and second valve means each including a valve chamber and upper and lower outlet chambers, said valve means each having top and bottom ports respectively communicating each valve chamber with the upper and lower outlet chambers of that valve, a valve member in each valve chamber yieldably urged to a lower position blocking flow through the bottom ports, inlet passage means communicating With the valve chamber of said first valve means between the top and bottom ports thereof for supplying fluid under pressure to the first valve means, first and second liow passages respectively communicating with the upper outlet chambers of said first bers of said first and second valve means, first and second drain valves in said first and second drain passages respectively, means responsive to opening of said first and second drain valves for respectively moving the valve members in the first and second valve means to a raised position blocking fiow through the respective top ports, a service outlet, passage means communicating the valve chamber of said second valve means with the lower outlet chamber of said first valve means and with said service outlet, an ejector having a raw Water inlet connected to the lower outlet 4chamber of said second valve means and an outlet communicating with the upper fiow chamber of said first valve means, first and second electro-responsive means respectively connected to said first and second drain valves'for opening the same, first and second control circuits connected to said first and second electroresponsive means, a timer controlled means for energizing said first control circuit and for thereafter energizing said second control circuit before deenergizing said first circuit, and means in said first and second control circuits for deenergizing said first circuit in response to en ergization of said second control circuit.

3. A control system for a water treatment apparatus vcomprising a casing having first and second valve means -second valve/means each including upper, intermediate and lower chambers and top and bottom ports communi Vcating the intermediate chamber of each valve means with the upper and lower chambers of that valve means, a valve member in each intermediate chamber having a density to gravitate to a lower position blocking liow through the bottom ports, an inlet passage communif eating with the intermediate chamber of said first valve means for supplying liquidthereto, first and second drain passages respectively communicating with the upper cham bers of the first and second valve means, a drain valve in each drain passage, a liow responsive element connected to each of the valve members and positioned in the path of liquid fiow to the drain pasages for moving the valve members to a raised position when the respective drain valve is opened, first and second fiow passages respectively communicating with the upper chambers of said first and second valve means, an outlet passage, passage means in said casing communicating the lower chamber of the first valve means and the intermediate chamber of said second valve means with each other and with said outlet passage, an ejector having a raw inlet communicating with the lower chamber of said second valve means and an outlet communicating with the upper chamber of said first valve means, and timer controlled means for first opening the drain valve in said first drain passage 'to move the valve member in the first valve means to a position blocking flow through the top port thereof, and for thereafter opening the drain valve in said second drain passage before closing the drain valve in said first drain passage to thereby raise the valve member in said second valve means to a position blocking fiow through the top port thereof.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said ejector is disposed in said casing to extend vertically between said first and second valve means.

5. A control system for a water treatment apparatus comprising, first and second valve means each including a valve chamber and first and second fiow chambers communicating with each of said valve chambers, an inlet passage communicating with the valve chamber in said first valve means for supplying fluid thereto, a valve member in each valve chamber, first and second outlet passages respectively communicating with said first flow chambers in said first and second valve means, first and second drain passages respectively communicating with said first flow chamber in said first and second valve means and each having a drain valve therein operative when open to pass fluid to drain, flow responsive means on each valve member disposed in the path of iiow of iiuid to the respective drain passage to move the lvalve member to apoiiow chamber when the drain valve is open, service passage means communicating with the valve chamber `in said second valve means and with the second iow chamber in the iirst valve means, first and second electroresponsive means connected to the drain valves in said iirst and second drain passages for selectively opening the same, first and second control circuits connected to said first and second electro-responsive means each having a timer controlled switch therein, timer operated means `for closing the timer switch in said rst control circuit and for thereafter closing said timer switch in said second control circuit before opening the switch in said first control circuit, and relay means including a relay switch in said iirst control circuit and a relay operator in said second circuit for deenergizing said first circuit in response to closing ofthe timer controlled switch in said second circuit.

6. The combination of claim Vwherein said relay means comprises a thermal relay for opening the relay switch a short time delay after closing of the timer controlled switch in said second circuit.

7. A control system for a Water treatment apparatus comprising, first andsecond valve means each including a valve chamber and rst and second ow chambers communicating with each of said valve chambers, an inlet passage communicating with the valve chamber in said rst valve means for supplying liuid thereto, a valve member in each valve chamber, rst and second outlet passages respectively communicating with said iirst flow lchambers in said iirst and second valve means, iirst and second drain passages 'respectively communicating with said tirst ow chamber in said tirst and second valve means and each having a drain valve therein operative when open to pass liuid to drain, liow responsive means on each valve member, disposed in the path of ow of fluid to` the respective drain passage to move the valve member to a position blocking flow from the valve chamber to the first flow chamber when the drain valve is open, service passage means communicating with the valve `chamber in said second valve means and with the second ow chamber in the irst valve means, first and second electro-responsive means connected to the drain valves in said first and second drain passages for selectiveiy opening the same, lirst and second control circuits connected to said I'irst and second electro-responsive means each having a timer controlled switch therein, a lirst timer operated means for closing the timer switch in said iirst circuit to thereby operate the valve member in the iirst valve means to `a ow reversing position blocking -liow to the first ow chamber, a second timer operated means for closing the timer switch in said second circuit before the timer switch in the first circuit is opened to thereby operate the valve members in the .second valve means to a ow reversing position blocking flow to the tirst iiow chamber and to maintain the valve member in the first valve means in its ow reversing position, said second timer operated means including 4means for momentarily opening the timer switch in the 'second circuit before completion of the timer cycle to allow the valve member in the lirst valve means to return to a position blocking llow to the second ow chamber.

8.y A control valve for use in a water treatment apparatus comprising a valve casing having irst and second elongated compartments disposed in side-by-Side relation, said compartments each having upper'and lower valve seats spaced axially in said compartments and separating the latter into upper, intermediate and lower chambers, an upper outlet passage communicating with each of the upper chambers, a drain passage communicating with each of the upper chambers, a Yvalve member in each of said intermediate chambers movable between a position 'closing the lower seat and a position closing the upper seat, passage means communicating the lower chamber of said rst Valve means with the intermediate chamber of said second valve means, an ejector in said casing having a raw Water inlet communicating with the lower chamber of said second valve means and an outlet communicating with the upper chamber of said first valve means, and a service outlet communicating With said passage means.

9. A control valve for use in a water treatment apparatus comprising a valve casing having rst and second elongated compartments disposed in side-by-side relation, said compartments each' having upper and lower valve seats vspaced axially in said compartments and separating the latter :into upper, intermediate and lower chambers, an upper outlet passage communicating with each of the upper chambers, a drain passage communieating with each of the upper chambers, a valve member Vin each of said intermediate chambers movable between a position closing the lower seat and a position closing the upper seat, passage means communicating the lower chamber of said first valve means with the intermediate chamber .of said second valve means, and an ejector in said casing paralleling said first and second compartments and located therebetween, said ejector having a raw water inlet communicating with the lower of said second valve means and an outlet communicating with said upper chamber of said rst valve means, and a service passage communicating with said passage means.

10. Thecombination of claim 9 including a flow responsive head attached to each valve member and located in the upper chambers of the respective compartments between the upper outlet passages and the drain passage thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED :STATES PATENTS 2,722,514 Sloan NOV. 1, 1955 2,855,944 Albin Oct. 14, y1958 2,906,281 Pil-lote Sept. 29, 1959 

